While in my local libary couple months back I happend to be cruising the fictoin section and a cover of a book with a battle scene caught my eye the book was "The Civil War Battle Series VOL 1 Manassas by James Reasoner . The basis of this book is the life of a southern family named Branndon when the civil war breaks out in Culpeper CO. VA. there are 4 brothers and some join up and some dont their mother and sister and there life during the war. One Brother is in Officer in Jacksons foot cavalry , one is in Stuarts Cav . and another is a blockade runner on a riverboat. I started reading this series being skeptical but the author did his homework on historical figures and happings so it is a good read for the civil war buff or just a avid reader. There are 12 in the series I think . I am currently on chancellorsville book 4 and have caught my self reading till the wee hours of the morning.

Younglobo I think I have seen this series. I personally would rather real historical accounts of the battles and other non fiction books about the Civil War. I have such a stack now I don't have time for fiction . Saying that I do admit I have discovered Ambrose Bierce . I read him in school but not really anything but Occurence at Owl Creek. Dover has all kinds of classical books at 1 dollar a piece . I ordered several interesting books. Two of them were Bierce. I am now a big fan. Also Kate Chopin , Now she isn't Civil War , she is the years after the war in the rural south of Louisana Cajun country. I keep saying how have I managed to never have read her stories. Again short stories mainly.

My pile on non fiction on the Civil War keep growing . I will never catch up. Too many things to explore and read about . Now reading only about the Franklin/Spring Hill, Mufreesboro in preparation for the Civil War Muster next month. Then when I get home I will read the mystery novels I love that I am also behind in, then back to nonfiction.

I've read Gettysburg, an alternative fiction work (first in a trilogy) by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen - twice! I guess the word "twice" says it all about how much I enjoyed that book - Because, as Miss Susan always says, "so many books, so little time".

I thought it was very thought-provoking; it had really wonderful character reseach and development; and it was very-well researched historically.

I'll add this disclaimer from and online review, because I was a bit taken aback at the idea of reading a historical novel by Newt:

"Don't let Newt Gingrich's political beliefs and controversial Congressional tenure taint your view of this novel (witness several scathing reviews at Amazon.com by people full of political vitriol who probably haven't even read the book). Gettysburg is as much the work of William R. Forstchen (who has written a number of novels and stories on his own), but it also highlights Newt Gingrich as storyteller and historian."

I'd been thinking it would be nice to discuss CW fiction/alternative history around here.

I'm sorry about the excessive font and spacing above; I've tried to correct it 5 times, and each time, it has re-posted in the same naughty format.

I think it has to do with "copying and pasting" from another site - for some reason, when I do that, the posts here take on the format of the site that I have "copied and pasted" from, and even when I correct it using the "edit" option, it STILL reverts to the other site's format.

Joanie that is me in my new dress and bonnet in the library of the Drum Barracks a few weeks ago for Banning Days. I should have stood in front of the fireplace I guess but didn't. I love my dress and bonnet and my white mitts.

Don't let Newt Gingrich's political beliefs and controversial Congressional tenure taint your view of this novel (witness several scathing reviews at Amazon.com by people full of political vitriol who probably haven't even read the book). Gettysburg is as much the work of William R. Forstchen (who has written a number of novels and stories on his own), but it also highlights Newt Gingrich as storyteller and historian."

No way! Everyone knows conservatives are just slightly above the Neanderthals in higher thinking.

Sheesh, should I guess I should be discounting authors who write for the New York Times as their political beliefs probably taint everything they do too?

Anyway, Gore's Earth in the Balance tome certainly demonstrates his abilities as a storyteller. Pretty imaginative stuff for a guy who doesn't recognize the busts of the founding fathers and has prose that is indistinguishable from the Unabomber Manifest.

Shhhhhh, quiet! there are Beloved Members from California and the north on this board!

And, have you NO respect for the man - er, make that person (PCness, y'know) who invented the Internet? Why now, we couldn't even be "discussing" him like this without his creating the medium that made it possible!

Actually, I will not make fun of Mr. Gore, as Mr. Bush is in the White House....and that just plain hurts me these days.

Anyway, I just got back from a two-week hiatus, and I have been reading all I missed, have a bit to catch up on!

Something occurred to me: before Newt, wasn't there a kind of Doppelganger Personage of his, existing politically, maybe 1-1/2 decades before, called "Tip O'Neal"? I think that man is long gone now (RIP), but I bet they ( Newt and Tip) could've written a great novel together, despite being very opposite.

Now, I am so looking forward to addressing the other threads - esp the medically related ones.

Don't want to ruin it by giving the end away for others, but I wish someone besides me here would read it. Most alternative history authors bore me to death, but I really thought this was worth reading.

Joanie that is me in my new dress and bonnet in the library of the Drum Barracks a few weeks ago for Banning Days. I should have stood in front of the fireplace I guess but didn't. I love my dress and bonnet and my white mitts.

Susan,

These look really wonderful! The avatar is so small that I can't make any detail out.

I bet many of us would LOVE it if you would post a more "see-able" picture to, say, the Southern Gentleman Hijack thread. But I can understand your not wanting to show a personal picture.